Chapter Three - Spontaneous Drink

Elizabeth was sat up on her knees watching everyone around her continue to refill drink after drink whilst she continued to sip on the one she first poured on arrival. As the party continued the game of spin the bottle become more and more daring, with many turning up the heat on the kiss requests, much to Elizabeth's annoyance as she wasn't remotely interested in kissing any of them; well maybe one of them... She inhaled quietly as her eyes fell upon Henry, her insides twisting with nervous excitement as it was finally his turn to spin the bottle. Elizabeth watched as he gripped hold and spun; this was the first time he'd spun it as he stepped out on his previous turn to get a drink. Henry's eyes fell to Elizabeth as the bottle slowed, he hoped with everything that it would land on her so he could do what he should have done on the coffee date; Kiss her intensely.

Three weeks ago…

Henry stood impatiently in line at a café waiting to order some food and a strong coffee. The bright lighting beamed down on him causing him to squint as the intensity of last night's drinking escapade washed over him. Henry finally stepped up to the counter and placed his order, the smell of food making him feel slightly nauseous as the hangover truly set in. He rubbed his temples and sighed, his impatience grew as he waited for what felt like an eternity. Once his coffee was placed on the counter and the waitress informed him she would bring his food over he reached for the cup and practically threw his body around in doing so, his shoulder crashing into the person behind him causing the coffee to spill over the saucer and all down his arm.

'Hey watch it!' he snapped and flicked the coffee from his hand before he even looked up.

'Nice to see you to Henry' Elizabeth replied sarcastically as she took some napkins from the counter and handed them to him. 'Hungover?' she giggled and raised an eyebrow at him but Henry was in no mood for jokes.

'Yes.' He gritted reluctantly accepting the napkins and walking away. Elizabeth nodded and rolled her eyes, letting him walk away in a mood and sit at the table. Once she completed her order she made a point of walking back towards Henry, she placed a fresh cup of coffee down on his table and smiled softly.

'I noticed half of yours spilled, I thought you'd appreciate a refill' Henry looked up and melted, just like he did last night when he ran into her, or rather, she ran into him. He pressed his lips together and gave a firm nod, the ability to speak escaping him as her beauty and generosity captured him. He cleared his throat after a few moments and shook himself out of his trance,

'Thank you. Sit please. If you can I mean - If you want too that is… It's the least I can do, not that I don't want to, I mean want you too, I-' she laughed and pulled the chair back

'I'd be delighted to join you for a drink Henry, is this the coffee date you promised me last night?' she teased.

'Did I promise you a coffee date?' he looked confused. Elizabeth's face fell, suddenly the thought that he didn't remember who she was creeped into her mind. She stumbled across her words as she attempted to speak.

'I..I thought, last night? I gave you my number?' She furred her brow and looked down confused at him. Henrys eyes widened, he suddenly remember an incident when he was drinking with the boys, he patted down his jacket and felt the phone in his pocket. He awkwardly smiled and looked at her,

'Yes, I remember, sorry. Terrible Hangover'

'You don't remember do you? Oh no, I've just made a huge fool of myself haven't I' she began to feel flustered and raised her shoulders in an attempt to open up her chest a little more.

'No, no Elizabeth I do' Elizabeth gave a breath of release at the mention of her name, but she was still left feeling confused by his actions. Henry ran his fingers through his hair and scrunched his face up.

'Look, about last night-' he sighed. Elizabeth nodded and rose from her seat, she reached for her coffee and finished the hot liquid before picking up her bag. Henry watched her, puzzled by her actions, one minute she was sitting and teasing him the next she was stood up and leaving.

'It's fine, say no more.' She snapped.

'Wait What?-' He shook his head at her actions, his head was far too hazy for this, Elizabeth huffed and walked off, not looking back. That was the last Henry had seen of her, until now…

The bottle spun around one last time, it began to slow down just as it approached Elizabeth, Henry had never wished for anything more than for it to land on her, thankfully his wishes come true.

'OOOoo McCord got Adams!' one of the boys jeered him on and teased him, they all knew that he had a crush on her. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, she instantly assumed that he had told them about their little moments and huffed, her annoyance already built up inside her. She let out a short sharp breath of frustration as Henry moved closer to her, the rules of the game working in his favour; whoever the bottle lands on, you have to kiss.

'Wait' she held her hand up and stopped him, she looked towards the boys and reluctantly asked 'If I don't want to kiss him what's the rules?' She glanced quickly from Henry to Katie and back to the boys again.

'Ooooo Game changer, I like it. If you don't want to kiss the adorably handsome McCord then…you have to forfeit' he winked. Elizabeth couldn't dare look at Henry; she knew his eyes were fixed upon her as she felt her skin burning.

'Fine, Forfeit it is' she looked at Katie who was just as confused by her action as Henry. The boys all hustled together and laughed as they finally came to an agreement.

'Forfeit is…. You have to go in that cupboard-' he points to his left –'for a round of seven minutes in heaven with…McCord' they sniggered like little playground games. Elizabeth's face fell, she had expected the forfeit to be worse than a kiss but she didn't expect the boys to pair her back up with Henry.

Henry cleared his throat and remained seated, his embarrassment of being rejected a kiss in front of his mates creeping in. He glanced awkwardly at his feet but looked up when he felt someone's presence over his.

'Elizabeth?' He looked confused, one minute she didn't want to kiss him and now she wants to play seven minutes in heaven? No protests?

'Let's get this over with.' She quipped and walked towards the cupboard with a very confused Henry in tow. Once the door closed behind them Henry flicked the light switch on and locked the cupboard door.

'So… now what?' he asked, taking a seat on the floor, he knew instantly this was going to be a long seven minutes.

'Is that all you have to say?'

'I-What?-I don't understand' once again he shook his head. Elizabeth remained standing and looked down at him, her face etched with annoyance as she rolled her eyes.

'Well, my idea of Heaven is peace, but maybe we should start with why you never called me back?'

'I tried to explain that at the café but you got too stubborn and walked out' he hissed, keeping his voice low so none of the other heard their debate but also wanting to get his own annoyance conveyed to her.

'Excuse me? You were the one interested in me and then not! One night you're drunk telling me you want me, the next day I didn't even think you remembered who I was, I openly flirted and you didn't even response, then you didn't even remember agreeing to a coffee date, nor taking my number! So yes I might have acted a little irrationally and walked out on you but it doesn't excuse your rudeness'. She snapped

'What? No, you've got this all wrong. Elizabeth I do want you, no wait, that didn't come out right, I want to get to know you, I want you that way too of course-' he sighed heavily as her eyebrows raised at him and his cheeks flushed 'I was trying to tell you that the phone isn't mine. Do you seriously think I would have a phone? Look at me, Most of my clothes are second hand, I am not from a wealthy family, I'm only here because of a scholarship. We cannot all be rich and elite like you'

'That was below the belt' she paused and gave herself a moment to compose her thoughts before looking at him again. 'So who's phone was it?'

'I don't know, it wasn't my jacket, after you mentioned about your number at the café I went back to the room we had the party at and my jacket was there on the couch, I swapped it with the one I was wearing, it was almost identical and I was too drunk to even noticed. I deleted your number so some stranger didn't have it. I tried to find you after that to explain but you never came back to the bench to watch us practice again. I was going to leave the message with your friend but the boys all teased me, said I scared you off. Some made comments about how I would be out of your league, especially as you are so clearly well off you can afford a phone!' he ran his hands though his head, he didn't know why he was being so open and honesty with her, but he felt compelled to tell the truth.

Elizabeth looked down shamelessly, she had gotten this all wrong and have been quite rude towards someone who was innocent. She lowered herself to her knees, sitting eye level with Henry.

'I'm sorry if I came across rude Henry' she whispered and he scoffed. 'No, I really am, I don't care that you haven't got a phone, or your here on a scholarship, or that your clothes are second hand. I don't care about any of that. If you recall I took an interest in you that night before I even knew any of that, and I am still here now…' she bit her lip nervously. Henry glanced up and smiled softly.

'Well, I'm sorry you thought I rejected you. Elizabeth that was never my intention. I think your beautiful and I've wanted nothing more than to get to know you since you first sat on that bench outside the training area months ago' he half laughed. Elizabeth giggled and dipped her head. Henrys insides burned as her laughed ignited a flame inside him. She glanced up and her eyes smiled at him.

'So now what?' she asked nervously.

'Well, Miss Adams, I see that we have three options…' he played with her. She looked at him curiously.

'Ok…?'

'Option 1 – we give you your idea of heaven, which I recall you telling me moments ago is peace. So we can sit in silence for the remaining 5 minutes. Option 2, we can talk about ourselves, get to know one another, sort of a do-over if you like? Because I would really like to get to know you Elizabeth' he paused

'Option three?' she whispered. Henry brushed a small section of her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her skin, her breath catching in the back of her throat.

'Option three would be for me to show you what I wanted to show you on that drunken night, my idea of heaven…' he whispered seductively

'And what's that?' she swallowed a hard lump in her throat as she felt her core tug.

'We play seven minutes in heaven' he whispered, his lips lingering by her ear as they dripped with seduction. His hands hand slipped around her waist and his mouth inches from her neck, his hot breath burning at her skin.

'Option three' she whispered hungrily…